It’s long been clear that the market for fashion-accessory mobiles isn’t limited to teenagers, kids and women. Yes, the look and feel of a phone speaks to today’s man: his choice of handset says as much about him as his choice of clothes, car, haircut, flat or partner.
There are two extra dimensions, though. One is entertainment: the modern male typically wants to exercise their tastes in music and their support for Arsenal. Or in the case of a few befuddled blokes, some other team.
Then there’s the work issue. Like it or not, many men – and women too – need to stay in contact and to be able to access email and the web when they’re away from their working base. They might not need the full-on functionality of a laptop, though, and a communications-capable phone gives them a sensible halfway house.
What we’re looking for:
• A bit of beef. A phone for blokes can’t be a flimsy lightweight. Steel is a sure-fire winner; soft-touch black coatings would run it a close second
• Some oomph under the bonnet. That means lots of functionality as well as the memory and processor power to deliver on it
• Mobile working options. Man needs to bring home the bacon, which might well mean checking emails on the 8.05 and hunting for the location of his next appointment
• Good grooming. The man wants to think of himself as embodying stylish good looks, so the things he has about his person have to fit the same mould